By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Airport officials facing jet fuel shortages are concerned they’ll have to wave off planes and helicopters that drop fire retardants during what could be a ferocious wildfire season, potentially endangering...
Two Killed in Plane Crash Responding to AZ Wildfire
WIKIEUP, Ariz. (AP) — Federal authorities on Sunday were at the scene of the crash of a small plane that killed two crew members responding to a wildfire in northwestern Arizona. Both people aboard the Beechcraft King Air C-90 aircraft died in Saturday’s crash. The...
More Help Sought for Montana Wildfires
Firefighting aircraft return to work BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana’s firefighting aircraft returned to duty Friday as officials sought even more personnel and aircraft ahead of a shift in the weather that could stir up a large blaze on the Wyoming...
Southern California Receives Two Large Firefighting Helicopters
Boeing Chinook helitankers already at work over Ventura County By AMY TAXIN Associated Press LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (AP) — Southern California fire agencies are getting two large-scale helicopters that can each carry up to 3,000 gallons (11.356 liters) of...
Alaska Smokejumpers First Jump of the 2021 Fire Season
Smokejumpers head out to the Pilot Point Fire BLM Alaska Alaska Smokejumpers loading up for the first fire jump of the 2021 Alaska fire season was caught on video on May 24, 2021. The 12 BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers flew 599 miles to the Pilot...
Test with Chinook Helps Upgrade California Helicopter Fill Site
Malibu site can now hold more water MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — A water fill-up station in the mountains above Malibu is increasing capacity to handle larger firefighting helicopters that are being contracted to bolster Southern California fleets. The upgrade...
Four Dead in Florida Firefighting Helicopter Crash
Helicopter crashed during training in Leesburg LEESBURG, Fla. (AP) — A firefighting helicopter with four people on board crashed Tuesday near an airport in central Florida, killing at least one person, officials said. The helicopter crashed into a marsh...
Close Call at California Wildfire
Burnover avoided in El Dorado County Max McGregor Salmon Fire, El Dorado County At approximately 12:15 PM on Saturday, May 1, CalFire Amador-El Dorado Units responded to reports of a wildland fire in the area of Salmon Falls Road and Gallagher Road near...
Global SuperTanker May Be Sold as Freight Carrier
Revenue from firefighting contracts made little profit By PATTY NIEBERG Associated Press/Report for America DENVER (AP) — As Western states prepare for this year’s wildfire season, the world’s largest firefighting plane has been grounded and could be...
Global Super Tanker 747 Shut Down as Wildfire Season Begins
Company in discussions with prospective buyers By PATTY NIEBERG Associated Press/Report for America DENVER (AP) — The world’s largest firefighting plane has been shut down just as Western states prepare for a wildfire season that fire officials fear...
Hover STEP Training
A brief look at helitack training in Colorado Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Get a first-person view of what it feels like to exit a helicopter while it's still in the air. This process, known as a "hover (STEP) exit", requires...
Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center 2020 Incident Review Summary
Information collected from over 100 operational incidents Wildfire Lessons Learned Center The information in this report comes from wildland fire incidents—from various entities—submitted to and gathered by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC)...